A good urban park in Chiang Mai

The Future Southeast Asia Newsletter features transport and urban development news in Southeast Asia, edited by James Clark.

Greetings from Chiang Mai. It’s my last week here for 2024, so I figured I should write an article about the city.

This week’s feature article is about a park that offers a glimpse of what urban waterways could look like. I’m making a list of urban waterways that have been reclaimed from urban blight (here are examples in Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City), so if you know any other examples then let me know.

Cities in Southeast Asia have a serious lack of green space, so cleaning up canals and rivers is also an opportunity to create new parks.

This week I was also on the Bangkok Podcast, so welcome to new subscribers!

Future Southeast Asia on the Bangkok Podcast

• Future Southeast Asia's James Clark on Thailand's Transport Infrastructure [S7.E41]

I was on the Bangkok Podcast with my friend Greg talking about transport and infrastructure in Thailand. Greg has also contributed articles to Future Southeast Asia. This is a great podcast to subscribe to if you are interested in life in Bangkok. Check out more episodes here.

Latest posts at Future Southeast Asia

• Kanchanaphisek Park: a model reclaimed waterway in Chiang Mai

Kanchanaphisek Park is a park in Chiang Mai along a remnant of the outer city wall. The park is a good model of what a reclaimed waterway can look like.

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News

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• All aboard: Manet urges acceleration of rail improvements

• Cambodia’s ambitious China-backed Funan Techo Canal risks harming Mekong River

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• LRT phase 1B Velodrome-Manggarai progress reaches 31.14 percent

• Jakarta to charge household waste levy from next year

• President Jokowi officially establishes Batam International Tourism and Health SEZ

• The hidden cost of the Jokowi-era infrastructure boom (archive)

“Under Jokowi, infrastructure projects have been distributed in ways that benefit certain regions and actors with close ties to the central government.”

🇱🇦 Laos

• Thailand, China, Laos agree on plan to build a connectivity corridor

• Upgrade of Lao-Thai border crossing in Vientiane province opens doors to growth

"The Banvang border crossing between Meun district in Vientiane province and Loie province in Thailand has been upgraded to a full international checkpoint."

• New building at Mahosot Hospital opens, marks Laos-China cooperation milestone

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• Consultant appointed for surveys into ambitious mega Trans-Borneo Railway project

• Anthony Loke: East Coast Rail Link project on schedule, 72.93pc completed

• Penang LRT To Begin Construction In December, First Station Likely In Jalan Gurdwara

• Penang’s infrastructure playing catch-up with its industrial boom

• Penang's Silicon Island project on right track in its first year

• KTM Komuter network, infra need drastic overhaul, says transport expert

“Goh Bok Yen says routes do not go near catchment areas, while stations are inaccessible to passengers.”

• Unveiling of latest ART 2.0 vehicle and hydrogen train

"Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd was recently given the honour of jointly unveiling the latest rolling stock from CRRC Corporation Limited, in conjunction with InnoTrans 2024 in Berlin, Germany."

• Malaysia needs more than just EVs

"Replacing petrol-powered cars with electric ones does not alleviate congestion without efforts to reduce the number of vehicles on the road."

 🇵🇭 Philippines

• Naia Terminal 4 closes Nov. 6 for renovation, reopens Feb. 2025

• Four more PHL airports to be privatized next year

• ADB, AIIB, KEXIM pledge $1.4 billion for Laguna road project

• 'Infrastructure to move people, not cars, will solve traffic congestion'

🇸🇬 Singapore

• Commentary: Singapore’s MRT system is too big to fail but is enough done to improve reliability?

🇹🇭 Thailand

• BMA, MRTA to sign land transfer MoU

“The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) for the handover of areas during construction of the western section of the Orange Line this week.”

• Bangkok rail systems undergo tests after accidents

"The operators of both the Yellow and Pink lines are currently testing redesigned guide wheel and conductor rail systems in a bid to prevent repeat malfunctions."

• Mutual benefits key to high-speed rail contract amendment

"The Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee (EECP) has approved a series of principles to amend the contract for the high-speed rail project connecting Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, and U Tapao airports."

• Klong Toey smart port plan to progress

• BTS Ghost Station . Did you know you might be paying for a BTS station that doesn’t even exist?

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Over $3.4bn needed for Thu Thiem-Long Thanh railway project in southern Vietnam

• Ministry proposes postponement of completion date of Long Thanh Int’l Airport

• By 2030, Ho Chi Minh City needs US$ 22.3 billion to build urban railway

• Vietnam, China to expand rail links, cross-border payments

• Vietnam’s North-South high-speed railway sees investment increase to $67.34bi.

"Vietnam's North-South High-Speed Railway will now see an investment of $67.34 billion, up from the previous $58 billion, while shortening the project timeline by 10 years."

• Vietnam seeks Chinese cooperation in developing high-speed rail

• Vietnam’s Ben Tre to build 3 bridges connecting with neighboring provinces at over $450mn